This disclosure relates to a storage rail and individual storage connectors for ratchet wrench sockets which retain sockets using a wedge locking and releasing mechanism.
Ratchet socket wrenches are well known and socket wrenches and their accessories have significant advantages in strength, utility and efficiency for the mechanic, such as when compared to non-ratcheting wrenches such as open end or box end wrenches. Maximum utility in a socket wrench set inherently requires a plurality of sockets of different sizes. Indeed, the well equipped mechanic will have many different sizes and also multiple configurations, such as deep well sockets, six and twelve point sockets as well as English and Metric sizes.
Because of the multiplicity of sockets in a typical tool set, there is a need to store sockets in sets, in order and to have the sockets in an easy to locate and easy to inspect configuration.
Typical socket storage devices utilize an inverted “hat” section metal rail, with metal spring clips that capture the edges of the rail, and extend upwardly in a configuration that fits a socket's drive portion. The spring clips impose an imprecise, often large force that can make sockets difficult to remove, especially by a mechanic who may have grease, oil or other lubricant on the hands. Conversely, the spring material is also subject to bending, flexing and distortion which often undesirably permits the sockets to fall off at which time they may be lost, or under circumstances such as tools kept in a vehicle, can actually provide undesirably mobile objects in the vehicle.
Plastic equivalents, with retaining members carried on rails, have similar disadvantages of imprecise forces and wear induced looseness. Other plastic solutions have long posts to hold sockets in cylindrical recesses, or even magnets. Magnets provide additional disadvantages, including the unwanted magnetization of the sockets, as well as adverse results from use in the vicinity of electronics or magnetic media.
The wrench socket retaining and releasing storage apparatus uses a moving slide key to positively lock the socket in place, against an ejector spring, with manual release accomplished by manually actuating a release sleeve against a lock spring to move the slide key, thereby enabling both firm and fixed storage and ease of removal.
The operation of a control bar in a channel acting on retainer balls to hold a ratchet wrench socket on a socket wrench extension is taught in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,405, issued Sep. 6, 1988, U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,511, issued Nov. 6, 1984 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,107, issued Jul. 3, 1990, which patents are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.